Arctostaphylos ‘Lester Rowntree’, Lester Rowntree Manzanita

A very spectacular manzanita with blue-green leaves, red-brown bark and dark pink flowers. Perfect as a hedge, in a dry garden, on a slope or as a specimen tree. Clusters of urn-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds in winter. This big shrub grows to 8–10 ft tall with a 10 ft spread. The small flowers are very showy, with a deep magenta pink color that contrasts with the blue grey leaves and attractive purplish trunks. A special feature is the large, glossy, red berries which ripen in the summer. Plant in full sun with good drainage with little or no water after it is established. It was grown at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden from seed supplied by Lester Rowntree, for whom it is named.